Mental Warfare
by RebelHeartReturned
Summary: When Bella moves in to her dad's new house in Denali she's met with a new challenge. With two vampires vying for her attentions, one becomes an obstacle while the other might just be her happy ending. As she learns more about her power she becomes apart of a world she never knew existed, and finally she feels not so alone in the world.
1. Chapter 1

**Welcome to Denali**

 **AN: So I happen to be the few who love Tanya/Bella pairing so I thought I'd give it a try and write a story seeing as there are very few stories centered around these two. Tell me what you think, please. Reviews will decide if I continue this or not, no use in writing a story that no one is reading.**

* * *

"So tell me why did you move from a one horse town to a no horse town?" Bella questions her father's sanity as she helps him unpack the uhale. "Better yet, could you tell me why _I_ decided it was a good idea to spend my senior year out here with you?" She smarted off as she hefted yet another box label 'kitchen' which she brought of course.

Charlie laughed as he too lifted up a much heavier box full off his sport stuff, Bella doesn't really know what's in there. "For one, the department out here is paying me a lot more, secondly, did you really want to be stuck on a year long honeymoon trip as Renee follows Phil around?" Charlie raises a brow at her in challenge.

Bella glares at her father, but he is right, she didn't want to follow Renee, following Phil, as he follows his minor league baseball career. "Ugh! I hate it when you're right." Bella groans as she sets the box down on the kitchen table.

"I really am glad you decided to spend time with your old man, Bells." Charlie blushed and scratched the back of his head at the admittance.

Bella gives him a small, but sincere, smile. "I'm glad I did too, Charlie. Besides, " Bella smirks, "Phoenix was just too big and loud and wonderfully warm, you can only have so much paradise before it gets boring."

Charlie grumbles beneath his breath as he reaches out to smack Bella's side with some leftover newspaper. "Keep it up and you'll be grounded."

Bella laughs as she dances out of the way. "You're too soft for that old man." She leaves him there in the kitchen as she goes for her boxes at the bottom of the stairs. One at a time, she carries box after box up to her new room, the house is small, but it has charm. There's a nook just big enough for Bella to fit her full sized bed lengthwise in the middle of the wall directly in front of her bedroom door, with a window at the foot wall and a long window following the inside length of the bed. Her bed is tucked into the nook so that the fame of her bed lines up with the rest of the wall. The rest of the room is square, her closet is tucked into the front side of the wall at the foot of her bed and a bookshelf covers the front wall.

She has a desk pushed against the wall left of the door frame and a long dresser running the length between the left front wall to the back wall. On the right side of the door frame there's a large bookshelf that houses Bella's favorite books that are sparactly spaced out by candles and little nicknacks she's collected over the years like sea shells and even a small cactus. There's a reading window on the right wall that faces the back woods. The nook is draped by soft curtains and fairy lights outline it floor to ceiling and across the top. The floor are made of old polished wood, but she's put a rug extending from the side of her bed out into the rest of the room, leaving about two feet of exposed wood on the three remaining side.

She was happy to find that each window had a good sized awning over the top so that when it rained and snowed she could keep the windows open without fear of her things getting wet, if she chose to. It takes her just a few hours before she gets the room to her standards. Her bed is topped with three white covered pillows and a huge downy white comforter, the curtain draped across the nook's frame is a pretty, soft blue, same as the one on the window in front of her desk. The rug is fluffy, soft and white, as Bella doesn't wear her shoes inside her room, she puts them in her small shoe cubby shelf by the door.

Everything is light and airy, and Bella actually feels like it's _home_. Bella grins, clearly proud of herself for unpacking and putting everything in it's place. She even placed her her favorite book on the lip of the reading bench window, the cushy pillow of the bench thick enough to keep Bella from feeling the wood beneath, and each side decorated with pillows for back support. She spends her time putting up a large cork board over her dresser and repins the dozens of pictures back into their places.

Before she knows it, Charlie calls her down for dinner, pizza. She sits at the table and grabs a slice of the mushroom and cheese, Charlie only ordered it for her anyways. "So...what's the verdict?" Charlie takes a drink of his beer, waiting for Bella to respond.

Bella finishes her chewing before she answers. "Well...it's not the worst place I've ever lived in." She cracks a grin. "In all honesty...I love my room, and the house is nice...I may even grow to tolerate the cold."

Charlie smiles behind his mustache, his eyes crinkling at the corners as he lets out a belly laugh. "Well the room is a start." Bella answers him with a laugh of her own, glad to at least have a normal relationship with Charlie, as normal as it can be when she's only seen the man a handful of times since she was thirteen. When they've finished eating, Bella offers to clean up which Charlie gladly accepts as he takes another beer into the living room to watch some sport or another on the tv. She puts the leftovers in one pizza box and puts that into the fridge, Charlie will probably have another slice or two before the night ends.

She quickly goes about making herself a cup of tea, chamomile, and heads up the stairs after shouting a goodnight over her shoulder to Charlie. She gets a grunted version in return. The site of her room, bathed in the soft blues of her christmas lights gives her a sense of comfort. She settles herself in bed, her cup sitting on the window's ledge as she lifts and opens the one spanning the length of her bed. The cold slithers in and wraps Bella in crisp, wild air.

She'll probably never admit it, but the stars might be even more bright and beautiful out here. Ok, so she has no problem admitting it, especially with the sight from these windows. As far as her eyes can see there's only stars and trees. Maybe she would find something good in the wilds of Alaska and maybe that something would make her miss home a little less. She can only hope.

* * *

Turns out, everyone loves the new girl, well they do in Denali because Bella seriously believes that her showing up is the biggest thing that's happened here since they discovered a snow shovel, but maybe she was being too critical, but maybe she isn't. By the time she gets to lunch she's mentally exhausted, and it has nothing to do with the mind numbingly easy classwork she's been doing. The only, and she does mean only, saving grace of the day, so far, is Angela, a sweet girl she met in her English class. This is what lead her to her current predicament.

She sits at a table in the noisy cafeteria, and she's not alone. Angela, the sweet girl is next to her and then there is the rest. Eric, Angela's boyfriend, is nice enough if not a little eager. Tyler seemed okay, though he's already snuck a kiss to her cheek, which was rectified when he tripped over thin air while running away. Then there's Jessica, the girl will not shut up about 'who's who' in the school, and Bella has noticed that the girl isn't just talking to hear her own voice, but to get the attention of Mike. This guy, this Mike, is a tool. He won't stop asking Bella questions, and he won't stop staring at her, it's creepy.

All of this changes the moment a group walks into the cafeteria and everybody, everybody, quiets down for a whole second before the chaos starts back up. The group consists of two girls and three boys. They are all pretty and pale, and from this distance it looks like they're all related in some way. "The Cullens." Jessica seems to catch onto Bella's curiosity. Bella looks at her and Jessica takes that as a sign to continue. "They're all adopted. The blondes are Rosalie and Jasper Hale, twins. The big guy is Emmett Cullen, he's Rosalie's boyfriend. The other girl is Alice Cullen, she's dating Jasper, then there's Edward." Jessica say his name as though he were a god, and Bella almost laughs at the concept. "Apparently he's too good for the rest of us mere mortals."

Bella smirks as Jessica stabs her salad with way more force than is required. "Personal experience?" The table erupts with mixed reactions. Mike and Tyler burst out in peals of laughter, choking around the words that deem Bella right in her assumptions. Angela stares at Bella in shock and Eric keeps his gaze on Jessica, maybe waiting for her to blow up. Simultaneously, five bell like voices fill the cafeteria with laughter almost as though they heard Bella's remark, but Bella thinks of it as a coincidence. Jessica's face turns a shade of red that reminds Bella of molten lava, she decides to take pity on the girl. "Well, his loss Jess, you're a hottie. I bet he's gay. I mean, just look at his hair, he's trying way too hard to look like he doesn't care."

Jessica perks up at her words. "Yeah, I know right?" She eagerly agrees with Bella, obviously trying to move the attention off of her previous embarrassment.

"Definitely." Bella give her an exaggerated wink, before sparing one last glance at the Cullens. The one called Edward seems to be sulking while the others laugh around him, again Bella shrugs it off. When she turns back to the group, she does so with an evil grin. "Mike." Bella's grin widens as the boy's attention falls on her. "Rosalie, she's hot, right?" At first the whole table looks confused, most of all Mike, but then the boy grins.

"Yea." His simple answer might come off as confident to the rest of the table, but Bella senses that it's bullshit by the way he fiddles with his soda bottle cap.

Bella locks his eyes on hers as she lowers her voice. "You should go ask for her number. I mean, you are the football team captain, right? I'm sure you can take the big guy if need be."

For a second, Mike's eyes glaze and then he puffs out his chest. "I am the Captain and I could take him, getting the hottie's number should be no problem." Mike rises from the seat and the table, including Bella, spins around to watch him approach the Cullen table.

"He's going to die." Eric whispers as he readies his camera to catch the murder on film. Tyler nods in agreement but fails to say anything.

"Bet you five bucks that Emmett decks him," Jessica whispers as she hurriedly takes a five dollar bill from her pocket.

Angela pulls a five from her pocket as well, "Bet you five that it's Rosalie that hits him."

"Done." Jessica agrees, but Bella shushes them as Mike comes to a stop in front of the table. He puts his hands on the table with a boldness that might just kill him, and without looking even the slightest bit scared he asks for the number, or at least Bella thinks he asks because suddenly his posture changes from confident to scared shitless as the blonde stands and copies his stance, but her confidence is real, and scary.

Suddenly, Mike makes a pathetic yelping sound then darts back to the table. He sits, as white as a ghost, with distant eyes. "What'd she say?" Eric almost leans over the table in his enthusiasm.

"She's going to cut of my balls and feed them to me. Why the fuck did I go over there?" Mike is genuinely confused, he is and Bella knows why, but damn does he look scared. Bella can't help it, she really can't. Her laughter is like a boom, it startles everyone at her table, and soon everyone but Mike catches her contagious laughter. Even as the bell rings and they stand up, Mike still sits there, confused. "Why did I do that?" He mumbles to himself until the group finally separates, Bella and Jessica head to Math together.

"I cannot believe that you got him to do that." Jessica is still giggling as she takes her seat in front of Bella. "How did you get him to do that?"

Bella grins as she takes the last seat in the first row by the door, behind Jessica, and it doesn't escape her knowledge that Edward walks in as well. "Guys will do anything for a pretty girl." Bella winks and grins like the chesire cat.

Jessica shakes her head as she sits sideways in her desk so that she can still look at Bella, while still being able to look at the teacher's desk. "Wow...just, wow." Jessica turns to attention as a low voice clears their throat and draws everyone's attention, Bella included, to the front, and that's when Bella sees her. She looks just like the Cullens, pale skin, otherworldly beauty and golden fire eyes. Bella watches her just like everyone else in the classroom.

"Good afternoon class." As the class repeats the greeting automatically, it finally clicks for Bella that this woman is the teacher. The teacher smiles, no, Ms. Denali smiles. Bella can see the nameplate on the woman's desk. Then, golden eyes connect with Bella. "It seems like we have a new student with us today, Isabella Swan. Why don't you stand and tell us a few things about yourself." Bella almost rolls her eyes but she settles with a sigh as she stands.

"I actually go by Bella," She corrects the teacher as she makes eye contact from across the room. "And how about I don't share." Bella keeps their gazes locked until the teacher nods, it takes seconds.

"How about you don't share," Ms. Denali repeats and, with a smirk, Bella returns to her seat as the rest of the class stares between the two in wonder. "Ok class listen up…"

Bella tunes her out and ignores the disbelieving stares pointed her way as Jessica turns around for a quick second. "She's not a guy, Bella, so _how_."

Bella smirks and leans forward to whisper at Jess. "Some _girls_ will do anything for a pretty girl." Jessica sputters but quickly regains control over herself as she gapes at Bella, but Bella merely shrugs and starts copying the notes from the board.

* * *

"You should have seen it guys! Ms. Denali like totally backed down, it was the craziest thing I've ever seen." Jessica retells the tale of Math class as the group hang around Tyler's van. Bella shakes her head from her spot sitting half in the van by way of the opened side door.

Eric leans against the van beside Bella and grins down at her. "Can you please teach me in the ways of the force?" Bella laughs and Eric grins as Angela tucks herself into his side, never mind that Angela is a few inches taller than him.

Angela pats Eric on the chest. "Haven't you heard, Eric? A magician never reveals her secrets." The group shares another laugh. "Alright, I gotta go, my mom is expecting me home by 3."

Eric removes himself from the van's side. "Yea, me too. See you guys tomorrow, and Bella, just think about it, everyone needs a sidekick." He grins, almost falls, slipping on ice as he walks backward.

"Oh, and that's my ride, see you tomorrow, Bella, guys." Jessica waves as she gets into what looks like her mom's car. Bella waves in return and then she's gone.

"Do you need a ride, Bella?" Mike scuffles the toe of his boot on the ground.

Tyler nods, "Yea, either of us can give you a ride." Tyler smiles and it's a lot less creepy than Mike's 'sexy' smile.

"It's fine, Charlie should be here any minute." Bella smiles at the two as she walks to the nearest bench table. One at a time they leave Bella with the other lingering students in the parking lot, thankfully it still looks moderately full so she's not some loser waiting on a ride. Minutes tick by and Bella looks forward, constantly resisting the urge to look behind her, it feels like she's being watched. By the grace of whatever deity that exists, Charlie pulls into the lot, and only when she's safely in the car does she look back to see the perpetrator.

The Cullens. Great.

* * *

She's suffered a week of glares and weird looks from the Cullens, except Edward as he suddenly disappeared. Ms. Denali on the other hand only ever looked at Bella in a curious, and almost fascinated, type of way. As such, she's cut back on her 'suspicious' behavior, maybe she shouldn't have pushed Mike and Ms. Denali, maybe that was just too much for the first day of school. Bella doesn't really care though, it's not like she could get in trouble. However, that doesn't mean that this isn't extremely annoying. The only good thing to come out of this past week is the old, and Bella does mean _old_ , red truck Charlie bought for her. It's paint is a little chipped and there's a dent on the left tire well, but Bella likes it and she's pretty sure Charlie only bought it because it was made around the same time he was born, sixty something.

As soon as Bella parks, next to Tyler's van, Tyler jumps into the bed and drums on the roof. "Bellaaaaa!" She shakes her head, laughing as she jumps out, backpack in tow. "Bella!" He grins down at her before jumping over the side and landing a few feet infront of her.

"Real smooth, Crowley." Mike almost sneers at Tyler, but he doesn't, instead he looks like he just bit a lemon.

Tyler throws an arm around Bella's shoulder, grinning at Mike. "Smoother than you, tell him Bella."

Bella laughs again, stepping out from Tyler's arm to throw her arms around Jessica and Angela's waists. "Let be honest, I'm the smoothest one here." As if on cue, the two girls pretend to swoon in Bella's arms, before the whole group collapses into laughter. Bella releases them and puts down her tailgate. She hops up and sits on the ledge, Angela and Jessica follow her lead. After a few minutes of chit chat, a familiar silver car and green jeep park across from Bella and wouldn't you know it, Edward Cullen is back.

"Would you look at that, pretty boy Cullen has decided to grace us with his presence." At first Bella thinks Mike is making a snide remark about Edward coming back to school, so she laughs, but then she sees it, Edward is coming their way.

Eric straightens up immediately. "Okay, act cool."

Bella whips her head around to look at him. "You're fucking shitting me, right?" She laughs in a disbelieving way, scoffing when Eric blushes. A throat clears itself and Bella turns back around. Edward is standing right there...and he doesn't speak. "Can we help you?" She raised an eyebrow as she prompts him.

"I was wondering if you'd allow me to walk you to class?" He grins and Bella thinks that it's supposed to be charming, but it looks cocky and more like an 'I'm better than you' smile.

"You're fucking shitting me, right?" Her friends shit a brick and fall into poorly concealed giggles.

Edward frowns and it creepily resembles the look a parent would give their child when disappointed. "Is there really a need for such language?"

Both of Bella's brows shoot up, her mouth gaping in a silent 'O'. "Would you look at that, the bell just rang." She stands, gathering her things.

"The bell didn't-"

"Don't want to be late for class, see you guys later." She waves to her friends before turning to Edward. "See you never, ok? Good. Bye!" Bella hurriedly makes her exit, only stopping when she's safely in front of her locker. That was a close one.

"Running from monsters?" The soft, purring voice makes Bella jump and spin to see who just scared the shit out of her.

Ms. Denali leans against the locker next to her and Bella gives a sigh of relief as she opens her locker the switch out her book. "Yea, the teenage boy variety."

Ms. Denali chuckles and it sends a shiver down Bella's spine. "Those are the worst." The blonde teacher give Bella a predatory smirk.

"Yea." Bella agrees with her, a little dazed and unable to look away from white teeth and red lips even as she shuts her locker.

"I've always believed that girls, older ones, are much less troublesome." Bella squints her eyes, trying to decode the tone Ms. Denali is speaking to her with, but the look is quickly lost as the actual bell rings. Ms. Denali give Bella another smile. "I'll _catch_ you later, Bella." This time Bella is the one left behind.


	2. Chapter 2

**Student/Teacher Relations**

 **AN: I like that title...do you like that title? Wait until you read this shit.**

* * *

Math class is particularly interesting today and it has absolutely nothing to do with that little conversation Bella and Ms. Denali had before school started...okay so it has everything to do with that little chat, but right now that's besides the point. Because right now, Edward is getting his ass handed to him in a very cordial way.

When the class had started Edward decided that he'd sit next to Bella instead of his seat on the other side of the room. He then proceeded to try and engage her in conversation. At first he just cleared his throat and stared awkwardly at the side of Bella's face, then he tried asking if she needed any help with the classwork and when she didn't respond he decided notes would be a better tactic which leads us to now.

"Now Mr. Cullen it has been made abundantly clear that you have more interest in getting Ms. Swan's attention than you are in paying attention to my class. So, shall we settle this and move on?" Ms. Denali doesn't wait for him to respond. "Ms. Swan would you like to, what does this note say," She unfolds the note and smirks. "Would you like Mr. Cullen to walk you to your car after school?" There's laughter coating her words and Bella can't help but allow her own smirk to show.

Bella looks to Edward and the boy actually looks a cross between cocky and hopefully, it's the stupidest thing Bella has ever laid eyes on. "Absolutely...not. I would rather be mauled by a bear actually." Jessica laughs first, with a snort and a giggle and from there it takes over the room in a wave until Edward is sinking down into his seat, beyond humiliated by the laughter of his classmates. Bella's smirk doesn't lesson as she focuses back onto her smug teacher. "Can you show us how to workout number eleven again? I was having trouble concentrating."

"It would be a pleasure Ms. Swan." Bella is almost positive that Ms. Denali's eyes flash, but it's too quick for her to be sure before Ms. Denali saunters, she's literally sauntering, up to the front of the class, tossing the crumpled note into the bin as she stops. Bella has to shake her head to bring her eyes up to the board, but then they don't quite make that journey either because gold eyes are just a little bit too interesting to look away from.

* * *

"I swear this place has never been exciting until you came along." Jessica gives a small shake of her head and laughs. Bella smirks and shrugs but otherwise she stays quiet. Jessica suddenly gets quiet as well and looks at her queerly, and it's enough to put Bella on edge. "Why aren't you interested in Edward though?" Jessica's eyes light up just a little as though she's figured it out. "Are you gay or something?"

Bella laughs, the tension leaving her as her shoulders sag and she smiles. "Or something." She grins. "That has nothing to do with why I don't like Edward. Truthfully, the guy creeps me out." Her words proved right as a shiver runs through her body. "Besides, conceited, self righteous, mama's boy aren't my type." Her friends chuckle at Edward's expense. Bella chances a glance in the Cullens direction and she finds the siblings in, what looks like, a heated conversation, only Emmett seems to find something amusing as they talk. She shrugs and focuses back onto her own group, but movement behind Jessica catches her attention.

Amber eyes stare at her, a heated, weighted gaze that Bella can't seem to pull away from. The conversation continues without her as she watches the Alaskan breeze teases strawberry-blonde hair. Ms. Denali tilts her head to the side and then she smirks. Bella sucks in a breath when the gesture takes her off guard. "Bella," Tyler calls and brings Bella's attention to him. "See you tomorrow." Tyler laughs and shakes his head.

Bella smiles back, "Yeah, see you guys tomorrow."

* * *

She waits until Charlie goes to bed before she sneaks out her bedroom window out onto the roof and then she shimmies down the large tree down to the ground. She makes her way down the cold street until she sees the running car on a quiet street. Bella climbs into the backseat, grinning at Angela and Jessica up front. "Ready?"

"Absolutely," Bella answers Jess with a grin on her own.

Angela laughs and starts to pull the car around. "Seatbelts." When she got the late night text, Bella had been all for it, sneaking out in the middle of the night for a night of underage drinking and pool, well how could a girl say no? Besides, Angela agreed to be the D.D so it's all good in Bella's mind, even if they have to drive out to the outskirts of Denali to find a bar that didn't know one of their parents. Bella hadn't bothered to mention that it wouldn't have matter, she figures it doesn't matter either way.

When they pull up Bella is surprised by the look of it, it's not as seedy as she expected. They walk in and Bella sends Jessica and Angela to commandeer a pool table while she gets the drinks, naturally. She leans on the bar, offering a pretty smile to the older man behind the bar. "What can I getcha hun?" His grin is less innocent than hers but she can use that to her advantage.

"One coke, plain, one jack and coke, and one whiskey sour, and make it a double." Her voice is low and soft and she grins when he focuses on her lips and then more intently on her eyes.

"I.D?" He grumbles.

Again Bella grins and watches his eyes get hazy. "You've already checked our IDs, remember?"

He shakes his head and then grins at her as he goes about making the drinks. "Coming right up sweetheart." He hands her the drinks and Bella smiles at him once more until he mumbles something about a tab.

The girls grin at her when she hands them their drinks, she winks at them. "Drinks are on me tonight." She laughs, but they don't get the jokes so she shrugs and waits for Jessica to rack the balls. Angela breaks and Bella is content to sit back and watch the two girls play the first round. She leans against the wall, hand curled around her drink and pressing it to her shoulder as she watches Angela school Jessica in the game. "So Jess," Bella starts, waiting until she gains the girl's attention. "Why haven't you asked Mike out yet?"

Jessica's pole misses the white ball and shoots through her hands. Bella and Angela laugh and it makes the girl blush as she retrieves her stick from the ground. "Yeah, right, like he notices anything but you, Bella." The statement sobers Bella and she does feel bad for the girl, really bad actually.

Bella moves to lean against the table next to Jessica. "Listen, if he can't take a hint about me not liking him, and if he can't see that a great girl like you like him, well he doesn't deserve you, Jess." Bella shrugs. "But hey, let's forget about the boys," She looks to Angela, "except for you of course," Angela smiles and tips her head, "and let's just have fun. I mean, look around Jess, we are in the perfect place to make a few bad choices."

Jessica brightens almost immediately, and a bit of false bravado creeps into her posture and Bella can see that at least for now she's not hung up on a stupid boy. "You know what? You're right." Jessica holds up her glass over the table. "To poor judgement and bad choices."

Bella meets her glass and matches her grin. "A-fucking-men!" She cheers. "And to Angela for picking up our sorry asses at the end of the night!" They three cheers.

Angela shakes her head. "You're a very bad influence, Isabella Swan."

Bella gasps and holds a hand to her heart, "Angela, why would you accuse me of such things?", but she breaks off into giggles and shrugs as she takes a heavy sip of her drink. "Guilty...and speaking about bad choices, here comes the first one of the night." The young man, probably just over twenty-one, is making his way over to the table and his eyes just happen to be locked on Jessica. "Say yes." Bella whispers in Jessica's ear as she grabs her pool cue and moves away.

Jessica frowns after her, confused, before the man clears his throat. Jessica whips her head around and he smiles at her. "H-Hi." He stutters and Bella swallows an 'aw' behind her hand as she nudges her shoulder with Angela's. "Um, can I buy you a drink?" His cheeks are pink and Bella approves of the kid, but Jessica looks like a deer in the headlights.

She clears her throat, but when Jess doesn't respond she steps forward and nudges her friend in his direction. "She'd love that." Bella answers for her and takes Jessica's drink from her hands.

The movement snaps Jessica out of it. "Yeah, I'd like that." Jessica grins at him. "I'm Jessica."

His eyes light up as he offers his hand and Jessica takes it. "Riley." He grins at her as they walk over to a table near the bar. He seems nice, but Bella still watches them for a moment before turning back to Angela.

"He's cute." Bella offers.

Angela nods as she racks the balls once more. "He is, and he picked a spot in view of us, so he might not even be a creep." Bella nods absently as she takes another look over at Jessica and sees that he's gotten her an unopened bottle of beer and opens it in front of her. Bella grins and nods to herself, satisfied in her friend's safety for now.

Bella quickly downs the rest of Jessica's jack and coke then places the empty glass on the nearby table. Her own glass gets placed on the corner of the pool table as she lines up the first shot, breaking the balls, but none end up in a pocket. "Be warned...at least one ball might end up on the floor."

Angela looks at her queerly, hunched over as she makes her shot, the two ball sliding into the right corner pocket smoothly. "You're serious?"

Bella nods solemnly. "Deathly." She tries to keep a straight face, she really does, but a silly grin breaks across her face. "Just remember to duck and cover." Bella laughs at her own expense, and Angela follows suit.

The night goes on as Angela repeatedly schools Bella in pool, and the drinks keep coming until Bella's teeth are numb with an even buzz, and before too long Jessica returns to the table, more sober than bella but not by much. "I think you just might be the best thing to ever happen to me." Jessica blurts out and it sends both her and Bella into a fits of giggles. Angela sits by the side, shaking her head at her inebriated friends.

Bella goes to respond but something pulls her attention to the bar's door. She doesn't know what, there was no sound or call, but her attention is drawn there nonetheless, and what she sees makes her spine straighten. "Ms. Denali." She hisses as she pulls her two friend close into the shadow of their dimly lit corner. "Ms. Denali just walked in."

Angela and Jessica freeze and look to the front door, sure enough there's Ms. Denali. "Fuck. What are we going to do!" Jessica whispers frantically.

"I can't get caught...my parents will kill me." Angela is beyond green at this point and it makes Bella's stomach churn, this was her idea after all.

"Okay, okay...I'll go distract her and you two get out and go home." They look at Bella as if she stark raving mad, and maybe she is, but Bella knows that it'll be easy for her to get out of this situation, and it'll be easier for her to do it without Jessica and Angela witnessing it. "I got this, okay? Even if I have to call my dad to pick me up, this was my idea so just let me do this." Reluctantly, the two girls nod and Bella sets her plan into motion. Carefully they move around the crowd until Jessica and Angela are near the entrance and that's when Bella makes her move. She moves across the room, making sure to pass in front of her teacher, and grabs the first youngish guy she spot and pulls him close to her. "Wanna buy me a drink?" She grins devilishly at him and he can't jump fast enough at the chance.

"Hell yeah!" She laughs a bit too loudly and when she checks over his shoulder, she sees Ms. Denali's eyes on her, unaware of Angela and Jessica slipping out behind her. Bella breathes out a sigh of relief and accepts the cold beer offered to her. "What's your name, sweetheart?"

He tries to pull her close but she escapes his grasp. "Thanks for the drink. You can go back to your friends now." He stares blankly at her for a moment, then moves back to his table blindly, bumping into a person or two on his way. Bella sighs and turns to the bar, taking an empty stool and waits for Ms. Denali.

A rush of cold air pushes against her back and she shivers, already knowing who's behind her, but she doesn't turn around. Her heart thumps loudly in her chest as she waits, aware of the efforts she's putting in to keep her posture relaxed and 'unaware'. "What do we have here, hmm?" The silky voice washes over Bella and floods her every nerve ending with a wave of excitement and anticipation. This might actually be fun.

Bella can feel Ms. Denali move around her. Her body brushing against Bella's the whole way until she's standing at Bella's side, and that's when Bella shifts to face her. "Ms. Denali...this is awkward." Bella gives a halfhearted smirk.

"Tanya," Ms. Denali responds with a much more assured smirk.

Bella frowns, that's not what she expected. "...Tanya…".

Ms. Denali-Tanya laughs and, is she checking Bella out? Bella watches as gold eyes look her up and down, and yeah, Tanya is definitely checking her out. What the hell? "Now what are you doing in a bar, Bella." Tanya purrs and it sends a different kind of shiver through Bella's body. "It's very naughty of you."

Bella's eyes grow wide, and a blush sets fire to her face and down her neck. She has no idea what's going on. "Um what?"

Tanya laughs and Bella's stomach swirls. "Don't worry Bella...this will be our little secret," Tanya whispers, and that's when Bella panics.

Bella stands, ignoring the way her body slides against Tanya's, no, Ms. Denali's. "I've got to go." She rushes her words out as she stumbles back from the bar. "I've got to go." Bella all but sprints out of the bar and finds the first person she sees. The muscled out biker doesn't stand a chance as Bella descends upon him. Bella locks eyes with him and sets her voice to a low timber. "Take me home."

The man mounts his bike and hands her his helmet. "Let's go, hun."

"No funny business and you'll forget this ever happened." She drawls out before hopping onto the back of his bike. The roar is deafening as he speeds away before Bella has a chance to chicken out.

She has him drop her off up the street from the house and it's on her cold trek back that she remembers...she forgot to push Ms. Denali.

Fuck.


	3. Chapter 3

**Everything's Fine**

 **AN: There has to be some angst to balance it out.**

* * *

Monday comes too soon for Bella, way too soon. Throughout the day Angela and Jessica have been looking at her as though she's a dead man walking, and she has no idea if they're right or not, it's not like Tan- Ms. Denali's behavior gave anything away. Okay, so her behavior did give Bella an impression of how she might react to seeing Bella today, but that impression has to be wrong. It has to. There's no way in hell that Ms. Denali was into her and even if she was, Bella isn't interested, not even a little bit. Sure Ms. Denali was pretty, okay so she's drop dead gorgeous, but that doesn't matter because Bella is 100% not interested in her maths teacher.

Okay so Bella's fucked, but as long as she pretends that nothing is happening, because nothing is happening, then she's going to be fine. Everything is fine. It's not like Ms. Denali had called Charlie to rat her out, but why didn't she call Charlie? Is she planning on holding it over Bella's head to get Bella to do unmentionable things? Well that doesn't sound so bad, no wait, Bella isn't interested in her teacher! Fuck she's fucked.

Wait. All she has to do is push Ms. Denali and all of this will go away. Problem solved. Then why does her stomach do that weird churning thing when she thinks about pushing Ms. Denali? She's done it before so doing it again should be as simple as counting to three, so why does Bella suddenly feel like she can remember what comes after one?

Bella's fine, it's all going to be fine. Everything's fine...and yet, Bella still hasn't entered the classroom. One deep breath and she'll go in...two deep breaths and she'll go in...three, "Fuck it." She grumbles to herself and pushes into the room. Ms. Denali is fucking looking at her, no it's fine, the teacher always looks at the students, relax.

"Good morning, Ms. Swan." She's doing that purring thing again, how is Bella supposed to respond to that? Oh right, she's supposed to ignore it.

Bella gives her head a little shake and gathers herself. "Morning Ms. Denali." She comes off as aloof, good that's a start. She walks past Ms. Denali's desk, resisting the urge to turn around and look, then takes her seat behind Jessica.

"Well she hasn't ratted on you yet, maybe that's a good sign?" Bella can tell that Jess is at least trying to look positive, but she's horrible at it. Bella sighs and slumps back into her seat.

"Everything's going to be fine." Bella repeats out loud, and hey, maybe everything will be fine. She chances a glance to the front of the class and she's smirking at Bella...fucking great.

Ms. Denali smirks at the class, but Bella knows it meant for her. "I hope everyone had a _fun_ weekend," Bella groans quietly and kicks the back of Jessica's seat when she hears a small snicker. "I know I sure did."

Did she? No, that's, Bella shakes her head because there's no way that her teacher just winked at her, right? "Dude, she just winked at you." Jessica hisses back at her, not turning around to avoid getting in trouble.

Bella kicks her seat again. "No she fucking didn't." Bella hisses back, but Bella really thinks that her teacher just winked at her. Bella reigns in her resolve, she's going to have to push Ms. Denali and that's all there is to it.

Everything's going to be fine.

* * *

The final bell rings and Bella's slow to pack up. When Jess gives her a strange look all Bella does is shrug and tip her head toward Ms. Denali. Jessica nods, "Good luck." She doesn't stick around after that.

Bella waits for the class to empty as she awkwardly approaches Ms. Denali's desk, but someone else seems to have the same idea. Edward is faster to approach the teacher's desk, effectively putting himself in between herself and Ms. Denali. She waits for him to move, but he just stands there. Bella sidesteps him, "Ms. Denali...can I speak to you about the homework over the weekend?"

She nods right away. "Of course Ms. Swan. Mr. Cullen, I'll see you tomorrow." She dismisses him without so much as a look. Like a drama queen, Edward huffs and stomps toward the door.

"Attractive." Bella scoffs at his back before the door clicks shut. A chuckle makes her tense and look to her teacher. "Listen Ms. Denali-"

"Tanya." She cuts in.

Bella stares at her. "Ms. Denali," she insists as she moves closer, letting her voice lower a bit. "I'd appreciate it if-"

"Well Bella," again Ms. Denali cuts her off. "If you're worried about me telling your little secret, don't worry." She smirks at Bella and Bella did not look at those lips just a little too long, not a bit. "I was young once too." Mirth coats her words as she gives a little laugh and a small, sweet smile tugs at the corner of Bella's lips at the sound. It's a beautiful sound.

Bella fidgets with the strap of her backpack in a nervous tick but she releases a relieved sigh. "Thank you, Ms.-" Her teacher glares at her and Bella takes a sharp inhale. "Tanya. Thank you, Tanya." Bella receives a brilliantly white and radiant smile in return and Bella thinks she just might call Ms. Denali by her name as she requests, because that was a smile she'd like to see, but in a totally platonic way. "I'll see you tomorrow...Tanya." Bella smiles and backtracks toward the door.

"Until then, Bella." Tanya responds.

* * *

"Hey Bells!" Charlie calls from the front door. Bella looks up from her homework and leans back into the kitchen chair.

"Yeah?" She calls back, waiting for him to round the corner.

"How about we go out to eat tonight? Give you a break from cooking for your old man?" He asks, not bothering to take of his jacket or holster.

Bella jumps at the chance, "Yeah, that sounds good." She closes her science book and stands to stretch.

Charlie grins, "Load up then." Bella shakes her head and walks past him, dodge his hand when he goes to ruffle her head. She slips into her jacket and they head out the door. The ride over to the diner is pleasant enough, Charlie asks about school and listens patiently as Bella rants about the amount of homework she has in science and how easy maths is, and if he sees the blush that coats her cheeks when she talks about Tanya, he doesn't mention it. Bella asks him about word in turn and though he doesn't talk as much as Bella, she still listens intentively, something she knows he appreciates.

"So, tell me more about this Edward fellow." He gruffs out around a fork full of steak.

Bella waits until she finishes chewing. "There's really not much to say. I think he has a crush on me or something cause I always catch him staring at me but I've already told him that I'm not interested." Bella shrugs.

Charlie's eyes squint for a moment as he puts down his silverware. "If he gives you any trouble, you tell me okay? I know his father, good man, and I'll handle it." Bella's heart swells at his protectiveness.

"Of course dad." She grins at him and laughs when he blushes. The diner door chimes behind Charlie and Bella groans when she sees Edward and his sister, Bella thinks her name is Alice, come in and take a table near them. "He's here."

Charlie turns around and spots him. "Well it is the only diner in town, so let's not overreact, okay? If he does that staring thing tell me and I'll have a word with him on our way out." Charlie states with his 'cop' voice and Bella agrees. Of course Edward does stare at her and as Charlie pays for their meal, she mentions it to him.

Like he promised, Charlie stops by his table on the way out and Bella stands back, amused by what's about to go down. "Edward Cullen, right?" Of course Bella already knows that Charlie knows who the boy is. Edward smiles at him and goes to stand but Charlie places a hand on his shoulder to prevent him from doing so. "No need to stand boy. I just wanted to stop by and say that I know your father, and I bet he taught you better than to stare, especially if you're staring at my daughter." Bella holds in a laugh as Edward's face drops and his mouth opens, probably to defend himself, but Charlie cuts in before he has a chance. "Now I want you to do something for me son. I want you to stop staring at Bella, because as you can imagine, it's quite uncomfortable to have someone staring at you all the time, especially if you don't like that person, and Bella doesn't like you. You understand me son?"

Edward nods and smartly keeps his mouth shut. Bella notices the Alice looks smug and disappointed at Edward, but that doesn't hold Bella interest for long. Charlie leaves the conversation at that, even if it was a one-sided conversation. Bella waits until they're outside to laugh, and laugh she does. "That was awesome dad!" She laughs even more as Charlie puffs out his chest at the compliment. She's too busy laughing that she doesn't pay attention to what's in front of her and rams into a hard, cold body.

Gentle hands reach out for her and stops her from falling and she's met face to face with Tanya and another blonde. "Easy there Bella...are you okay?" Bella's actually touched by the concern written across her furrowed brow and lacing Tanya's voice.

"Tanya? Hey!" Bella steps out of her grasp and chides herself from sounding so excited. "Dad, this is Tanya, my-"

"Bella friend." Tanya interrupts and it makes Bella frown, but she doesn't correct Tanya's claim. "And this is my sister, Kate. Kate, this is Bella and her father, Chief Swan." Tanya flashes that beautiful smile and it makes both father and daughter blush, which Kate seems to find endlessly funny.

"Aw Bella you're blushing!" Kate all but squeals.

"Enough." Tanya, wait, did she just growl? Either way, Kate shuts up immediately and sends Bella a sorry looking smile.

"No, Tanya, it's fine, really." Bella implores, without thought, reaching out and placing her hand of Tanya's covered forearm. Tanya captures her eyes and holds them captive, until a previously quiet Charlie clears his throat.

"So uh how do you know Bella?" He asks and Bella folds her arms across her chest, throwing a challenging look at Tanya, but Tanya just smirks.

"We met on Bella's first day here and I've persuaded her ever since," Bella's eyes grow as wide as saucers and coughs into her hand. What the fuck is going on, because Bella sure doesn't have a clue. Tanya is her teacher for fuck's sake. "She makes for an amazing friend, no doubt her wonderful personality is because of the way you've raised her, Chief Swan."

Okay, she's laying it on a light thick, but Charlie buys it even as his face turns a permanent shade of red. "Well…" He trails, probably unable to form a response. "Bells, if you want to spend time with your friends it's fine with me."

Tanya's face lights up at the suggestion and Bella jumps in before Tanya can. "Oh no, that'd be fun and all, but I've got a lot of homework to do, and I still haven't started my _math_ homework yet." She stress the word, hoping Tanya will catch the hint. She doesn't of course.

"Well if you need help Bella, it'd be no problem to come over. I am a teacher after all." Bella stares at Tanya, unable to even speak, what the hell is Charlie going to think?

"A teacher?" Charlie asks and Bella can hear the suspicion in his tone.

"Oh yes," Tanya beams and Bella can see how much it takes CHarlie off guard...can Tanya do what Bella can? No, that's impossible, right? "You see I met Bella and then we found out that she just so happened to be placed in my math class, of course it was a little awkward but we had already started a friendship." Bella scrunches her eyebrows, suspicion creeping in at the way Tanya said 'just so happened'. What the hell is going on? Bella's missing something huge, and why aren't Tanya's lies bothering her?

Charlie scratches at his cheek and he looks from a silent Kate to Tanya and then to Bella. "Well as long as it doesn't interfere with your schooling then you're old enough to make your own decisions, I guess. Yeah, that's what Renee would do." He says almost to himself and Bella's too shocked to confirm or deny.

"No," Bella's stern voice takes them all off guard. "I don't need help with my homework." She locks her eyes on Tanya. Tanya tenses but nods in agreement. When her eyes clears, Tanya looks pissed, but she quickly hides it with a tense smile.

"Right, well we better be on our way." Kate grabs Tanya by the arm and starts pulling her away. "Nice to meet you, Bella, Chief Swan!" She waves and walks off with a clearly reluctant Tanya in tow.

Bella gets into Charlie's cruiser without a word, even slamming the door as she goes. "No need to slam the door, Bells. I don't know why you're so mad, did you want me to get upset about her being your teacher, because I can do that? I can do that." Charlie nods and Bella can see that he is more uncomfortable with the situation than he had let on.

Bella sighs and relaxes back into the seat. "No Charlie, it's fine, I just need to get home and do my homework." She looks him in the eye and lowers her voice. "Everything's fine. You don't need to worry about Tanya, and it's okay that Tanya and I are friends, no need to worry. Okay." Charlie nods.

"Alright kiddo" He grins at her, now completely at ease over the situation, but Bella feels bad, she's never liked pushing her parents, it's wrong and she tries not to do it at all, but she knows that he needed peace of mind right now, and really, honestly, Bella can't stand the thought of Tanya getting into trouble over her.

Bella doesn't know what's going on, but she just wishes it'd stop on it's own. She's too tired for this crazy fucking shit.

* * *

Again, Bella finds herself waiting after class to talk to Tanya and she wastes no time when the last student leaves the room. "That wasn't okay! What you did yesterday was not okay. I don't want you talking to my dad and I don't want to be friends with you. You're my teacher and that's all there is to it. I never asked for this complicated shit." Bella huffs and puffs trying to catch her breath and she ignores that shooting pain she feels in her heart, there's no need for it. "Do you understand?"

"Are you ordering me or asking me?" Tanya glares and it doesn't help that hurt feeling Bella feels.

"I'm begging you." She gasps out and turns toward the door. A cool hand reaches out and stops her by holding onto her wrist softly.

"Bella wait, I'm sorry." Tanya sound like she is the one begging, but Bella has resolved herself. What Tanya, no, what Ms. Denali did was wrong and she crossed a line.

"No." Bella doesn't turn around. "You crossed a line and that's not okay." Bella tells her and pulls away from her grasp. "I'll see you tomorrow, Ms. Denali." She leaves without another word, or glance, to Ms. Denali.


	4. Chapter 4

**Closer To The Truth**

 **AN:The mating bond can be a bitch. If you're confused about Bella's power it's to compel or push, meaning she can make someone do what she wants, like a mind control sort of thing.**

* * *

"What's gotten into you, Bella?" Bella is well aware that the past few weeks have wrecked havoc on her state of being, but that doesn't mean she appreciates her friends pointing it out.

"Stop asking." Okay, so maybe snapping at Jessica isn't the right thing to do. "Sorry," She sighs and runs a hand through her already tousled hair. "Just...sorry, okay?" She gives her friend a pleading look, hoping she'll understand and back off without further questioning.

Jessica nods and then shrugs. "It must be something going around, I mean have you seen the way Ms. Denali is acting? One minute it looks like someone murdered her family and then the next she's acting like she's going to murder all of us. I wonder what's up with her." If only Jessica knew, no that's a horrible idea. Bella knows and that's already one too many if her opinion. She doesn't want to know why Ms. denali is acting this way. She doesn't want to know that she's had anything to do with it. Bella just really wishes that she could compel herself at this point, something that's she's never wished before, and that just makes it all worse.

And she's pissed, she's so pissed because why does she deserve to feel this way? She doesn't even know why she's moppy and pathetic one moment and then irate and volatile the next, and she doesn't fucking deserve it. What's worse is that there is no earthly reason as to why she's feeling like this, not one single damn reason. "Bella. Bella. Bella!" She shakes herself and looks at her c to her friends...who are all standing? "The bell rang like five minutes ago...seriously, what's wrong Bella?" Jessica asks in a hushed voice, waving off the others.

Bella stands and heaves her backpack over one shoulder. Bella sighs and looks around before pulling Jessica toward the exit. "Don't worry about it, okay? I'm just going through something and I really can't talk about it."

Jessica frowns and nods. "Fine, but you can talk about it, if you want and that's all I'm going to say about that."

Bella smiles the first genuine smile she's given in a long time. "You're the best, Jess."

Jessica flips her hair back. "Duh." It makes Bella laugh as they reach the door and she's thankful because when she sees Ms. Denali it's not so bad for a moment, and she'll take a moment's reprieve than the continued agony. Ms. Denali's glaring at Jessica and it actually makes Bella roll her eyes and scoff under her breath, but Ms. Denali must have heard because she gives Bella a hurt look before quickly schooling her features.

Bella has absolutely no reason to feel this bad, Ms. Denali is her teacher and they should only have one relationship. So why does Bella feel like she's pushed away someone how could have been important to her?

* * *

It's agony sitting in this class and having to look at Ms. Denali, so when the bell rings Bella can't be more relieved for it. That is, until she hears Ms. Denali's voice. "Ms. Swan please stay, we need to discuss a few things." Bella groans and it earns her a sympathetic look from Jess, but the girl sure doesn't stick around. Bella stays in her seat and it makes Ms. Denali come to her. "Bella?" She winces at the use of her name but she looks up anyhow.

"My grades are fine so what do we have to talk about?" Maybe she's being a little harsh, but how else is she supposed to react?

Ms. Denali sits in Jessica's seat, half turned so she can look at Bella, but Bella can't look her in the eye. "You can't just compel me and make this go away." Bella's eyes nearly popped out of her skull as she whips her head around to stare at her smirking teacher.

"W-What? I don't know what you're talking about." She stutters and curses herself for it, because nothing is more convincing than a nice stutter.

"Yes you do, but it's okay, we don't have to talk about that. I do however, wish you'd talk to my friend Eleazar. I think he can better help you to understand what's going on with you. You should talk to my sister Kate as well, she was a power too." That catches Bella's attention.

Bella licks her lips in a nervous gesture and leans forward, closer to Ms. Denali. "Other people can...she can do things too?" A bloom of hope opens in her chest at the possibility of not being alone, of not being the only freak.

Tanya smiles gently and that churning feeling she's had in her stomach for the past few weeks calms and settles. "You're not alone Bella, not by a long shot." Bella allows a smile of her own to show. "What do you say? I can give you directions to my home? I promise not to overstep again, but I want to help. Be warned though...Edward is my cousin, unfortunately."

Bella weighs her options, Edward she can handle and with Tanya acting like this, well she thinks she can handle Tanya as well. And yeah, it doesn't escape Bella on how easy it is for her to switch from Ms. Denali to Tanya, but that's not of her concern right now. "Yeah, I think I'd like to talk with them." Tanya smiles but Bella senses she's not completely happy with Bella's words, but that's not Bella's problem, is it?

Tanya scribbles down directions to her home in Bella's notebook. "Great, come anytime you like, god knows Kate has a lot of time on her hands." She says it with a chuckle and it makes Bella smile again.

"Okay." Bella stuffs the notebook into her backpack and stands. "Thank you...Ms. Denali." She's not going to say Tanya's name aloud, that'd give the wrong impression because there's no way she wants anymore of a relationship with her other than Tanya being her teacher. No way.

* * *

It's been two weeks since Tanya had invited Bella over to her home and Bella has spent more than a handful of days in Tanya's house , which is in the middle of fucking nowhere, and she's glad she did because she's learned a lot about herself, and about Tanya's family, but Kate, she's just plain crazy. "I swear to god if you shock me one more time I'm going to make you kiss your fucking cousin." Bella growls as she moves away from a giggling Kate, but her giggles stop at Bella's threat.

"You're no fun." Kate pouts.

"Leave her alone Kate!" Tanya yells from somewhere in the house. That's another thing, Tanya promptly disappeared when Bella arrived, most likely as to respect Bella's wishes and trying to make Bella more comfortable. Bella didn't get the chance to tell her that she doesn't want Tanya to be uncomfortable in her own home. Kate pouts more at Tanya's order and Bella can't help but grin smugly at her.

Kate catches it and then starts to snicker at Bella. "You know, you're like the younger sister I've always wanted!"

Bella's glad she's finding amusement in this situation, can you sense the sarcasm? "What a coincidence, Kate. You're like the older sister that I've never wanted. Aw, twinsies." Bella mocks and she takes great pleasure in seeing Kate's ego suffer for a moment, but only a moment.

"Don't worry, Bella. I'll grow on you." Kate promises with a wink.

"Like a fungus." Bella counters under her breath, at the same time loud laughter erupts from the other side of the house.

Kate's pouting again. "I heard that."

Bella shrugs and turns back to the ignored Eleazar. "I don't care." A sharp shock stings her side and she throws down her book. "That's it!" She turns on Kate but the woman is already up and running away. Bella takes off after her, but Kate stays just out of reach. Bella turns the corner heading toward the kitchen and runs smack dab into another cold hard body. Fuck, are they all built like statues? She looks up, rubbing her elbow only to see that creepy smile Edward permanently has on his stupid face.

"Hello, beautiful." Bella gags, no she actually gags.

"Gross." She says to his face. She moves to walk around him, but he stops her with a hand to her elbow. "What the fuck! Let me go." She grits her teeth as a sharp pain shoots through her elbow. She tries to pull her arm away but it's of no use.

"I want to talk to you." He's demanding, not asking.

"You're hurting me." As soon as the words leave her mouth Tanya is by her side and Bella has no idea how she got there but she really doesn't care right now, because she's actually scared right now.

Tanya tries to place as much of Bella behind her as she can, "You heard her, Edward." Yeah, Tanya growls, that's something interesting. There's a moment of silence then Edward all but throws Bella's arm and Bella has to grip onto the back of Tanya's shirt to stay steady. She's had enough.

Bella steps around Tanya and places herself between Tanya and her cousin. She locks eyes with him. "Walk away and don't approach me again. Never touch me."

Edward's eyes flash and then he's walking away. She can feel Tanya behind her, close enough for the cold of her body to seep through Bella's thin shirt. Bella wonders why the hell Tanya's family is always cold. "How long will that last?"

Bella turns at Tanya's question and blows out a long sigh, her hand running through her hair on instinct. "A week...maybe." Bella shrugs. "I can never tell. On some people it can last a month, on others only hours. It depends on how susceptible they are to influence, at least that's Eleazar's theory. I'm willing to bet his stubbornness and ego will break the compulsion sooner rather than later."

Tanya nods. "Is it my stubbornness that breaks your compulsion within hours?" A weird, self conscious smile plays at Tanya's lips and it makes Bella frown.

Bella shakes her head and looks in Tanya's eyes for a long minute. "No…"

"No?" Tanya picks up and prompts Bella when she trails off.

Bella shrugs a shoulder, her eyes flicker to the floor only to return to Tanya's golden gaze. "I've never really meant my pushes on you." Her admission is soft and quiet but Tanya seems to have heard her loud and clear as that stunning smile takes over her face, and like always, Bella can't stop herself from smiling back.

"Am I wrong to feel happy about that?" Tanya asks, moving unnoticeably closer to Bella.

This time when Bella looks away, she doesn't turn back. "I should go."

Bella hears Tanya sigh and that pulls her attention back onto the blonde. "I've made you uncomfortable again."

Immediately Bella rushes to correct her. "No, Edward makes me uncomfortable." She rubs at her elbow, remaining silent as Tanya's eyes linger there for a moment, her eyes darkening. "You...you always catch me off guard. I don't know how to act around you."

Tanya frowns. "I only ever want you to act as yourself, Bella."

Bella nods. "I'll work on it." Tanya smiles at her then silently they both walk to the front door, pausing only to collect Bella's things from the living room and to say goodbye to the rest of the family.

"I'll see you on monday, Bella." Tanya smiles, leaning against the frame of her front door.

Bella hesitates to say goodbye though and with a heavy sigh she does what she's promised herself she wouldn't do. "Look, I'm going to Anchorage tomorrow, a day trip kind of thing...I'd uh like it if you came, so I don't get lost." It's a loosey excuse and they both know it but luckily Tanya lets her get away with it.

Tanya grins at her. "I'd love that. I can pick you up at seven?"

Bella nods and takes a step back. "I'll see you at seven." She confirms and makes herself walk away. The only thing on her mind is the thought, did she just ask her teacher out on a date?

' _Fucking hell...I think I just asked my teacher out on a date.'_ Unaware by Bella, her teacher was having much of the same thoughts on the other side of the door.


	5. Chapter 5

**The Start of Something**

 **AN: For the purposes of convenience for this story, Anchorage is only a little over an hour away from Denali. It's a short chapter, and you might think that things are moving way too fast but just have a little faith, okay?**

* * *

When Bella wakes from her sleep the clock reads half past five and though she desperately wishes to go back to sleep her body has other plans for her. After ten minutes of wrestling her covers she gives up and starts getting ready for the long day ahead, as it takes about an hour to get from Denali to Anchorage. Luckily for her, time flies by as she readies herself and just as she's slipping into her shoes and jacket there's a soft knock at the door. Bella smiles when she locks at her phone, seven sharp. "Hey, Tanya." She grins after opening the door.

"Good morning, Bella." Tanya smiles back and motions for Bella to go first as they make the way to Tanya's car, which by the Mercedes emblem, she knows it to be quite expensive. She doesn't know what the GLE SVU quite means, obviously it's the model type but it doesn't mean much more than expense to Bella.

As she sits, buckled up in the soft leather interior she can only laugh. "I can safely say that this is the most expensive car I have ever been in."

Tanya answers Bella's laugh with one of her own. "Now that's just a shame, luxury deserves luxury." Bella blushes at the comment and smartly ignores the way Tanya lick her lips. Bella wonders just how she got herself into this situation, how is she supposed to sit in this car for hours with her teacher which is inappropriate as is without it being glaringly obvious that Tanya is blurring the lines as much as Bella allows. Bella feels that maybe she's allowing too much, a big part of her though, feels as though she's not allowing enough.

The ride to Anchorage is a pleasant one filled with conversations of Tanya's adventures with her sisters, which at times Bella is sure Tanya made up, and how Bella had come to live with Charlie and how she discovered her power. "It just happened on day out of the blue. I was fourteen and my mom wouldn't let me go to a party at my friends house. 'I'm going to this party', I said and her eyes flashed and she repeated the words back to me. I didn't know what happened but it scared me because I knew I had did something to my mom and I felt horrible. I never did make it to that party." Bella sighs and shakes her head.

"You were young Bella, you couldn't have known." Tanya places a gentle hand on Bella's arm for a split second and though her touch is cold, Bella still finds comfort in it.

"Thanks." Bella gives a halfhearted smile, but Tanya takes it and moves along the conversation with yet another unbelievable story of her and her family.

* * *

Bella takes great joy that Tanya actually listens and is patient as Bella makes her way through a bookstore, even going as far as to suggest her favorite novel and going to get coffee when Bella makes an offhanded comment of wanting some when she smelt another customer's drink as he walked by. She opened the door for Bella and she had Bella walk on the inside of the sidewalk. At times, Bella thought Tanya was going to hold her hand, she was sure of it but it never happened. Tanya would just barely brush her knuckles against Bella's and Bella was surprised when, at one point, she actually wanted Tanya to just get it over with and grab her hand.

In turn, Bella swallows her distaste for shopping as Tanya flies from clothing store to clothing store. All the while as Bella watches her, Bella _watches_ her. She watches Tanya's graceful movements and the way she smiled at Bella whenever commented on the way certain clothing items looked good on her. It wasn't as bad as shopping with Renee, actually, Bella had a lot of fun with this woman, even if they are breaking all sorts of rules. Bella knows by now that Tanya doesn't care for, and it's slowly making Bella have the same mindset. However, the more time Bella watches Tanya, the more Bella becomes suspicious.

Tanya hasn't had anything to drink or eat during their time together, even when they both order lunch in the food court of the large mall. Bella had watched as Tanya discreetly disposed of her food and made it look like she was eating when Bella knew she wasn't. Every time Bella mustered up the courage to ask, Tanya's phone would ring and she would give Bella a secret sort of smile that bewildered Bella and made her forget just what she was thinking about. If Bella didn't know any better she would think that Tanya was the one with the power to compel because she sure did have a way of having Bella wrap around her finger, and Bella was becoming more and more certain that Tanya was hiding something, they all were, and yet Bella found that the more time she spent in Tanya company the less she cared about what the secret was.

At the end of the day Tanya pulled onto Bella's street and Bella wasn't the least surprised that she was disappointed that the day was done. Tanya parks at the curb and turns off the car, moving in her seat just enough to make it easier for them to look at one another, Bella of course followed suit. "I had a lot of fun today, Bella."

It's so easy to see how genuine Tanya is being, as she has been all throughout the day as though Bella has granted her the grandest privileged and it makes Bella blush every time. "So did I...it was nice getting away from here and I'm glad we got to know each other better." Bella is rewarded with a dazzling smile and Bella's stomach gets butterflies and she's positive that her heart fluttered in her chest.

"Come on, I'll walk you to the door." Tanya nods toward the house.

"You don't have to." Bella protests, but Tanya ignores her as it at Bella's door before Bella has even unbuckled her seatbelt. Bella lets Tanya inside so that she can put down Bella's things in the entrance. Charlie is in the living room and shouts his hellos to them both without turning away from his game. They share soft laughter at the man. When Tanya takes a step back out onto the porch, she pauses and watches Bella as she leans against the door's threshold. "I'll see you tomorrow?" Bella almost curses herself because of course she'll see Tanya tomorrow, and that's when the world comes crashing down around her. Tanya is her teacher and what the hell is Bella doing?

Tanya must sense her sudden change in move because she takes that small step that separates the them. "Don't do that, please don't do that." Tanya almost pleads like she knows Bella is starting to overthink things and worrying over all the trouble they can get into, the trouble Tanya can get into for this, whatever this is. Bella stares into those golden eyes and a whirlwind of emotions hit her squarely in the chest, but the most prevalent one is a sadness that's responding to Tanya's distress.

Bella gives a nod. "I'll try not to." Bella promises and it's enough to get a small smile from Tanya. Tanya reaches out and Bella accepts the hug she offers. She's ashamed when she catches herself actually sniffing Tanya, but whatever perfume Tanya is wearing is way too enticing to ignore. "Goodnight, Tanya." Bella blushes as they pull away from a hug that lasted just a little too long but not long enough.

"Goodnight, Bella."

* * *

When Bella finds herself in math class on Monday, she's fully aware of the way she must look as she watches Tanya. All throughout class Bella switches from concentrating on her work and tracking Tanya around the class when she thinks no one is looking. However Tanya isn't any better and they often find themselves in a locked gaze. The end of the class changes everything for Bella. Ten minutes before the bell rings Tanya has everyone pack up and says she has an announcement to make, and it's an announcement Bella never saw coming. "Well class, as much as I have enjoyed the honor of being your teacher, I'm afraid today is my last day." Her eyes stray a little too much, and much too long, on bella, but nobody seems to notice as they're are just as shocked as Bella is about the news. "I've decided to pursue other interests of mine and as it turns out, I'm not that great at multitasking."

The class shares a laugh and it makes Tanya smile at them all. "So as a goodbye treat from me to you, I've worked out a deal for your test this friday. Since you'll be switching teachers so suddenly, Mr. Larsen has agreed to give everyone a five point bonus on their grade." The class erupts in cheers and claps. Tanya laughs and Bella can see that once again she's being completely genuine. Who knew that the strict math teacher everyone hated and loved was actually a huge softy at heart...well Bella kind of knew. The bell rings and a line of students wish her good luck and give their goodbyes, until it's only Bella, Edward and watches, a little amused, as Edward fights with his compulsion, but Bella's push wins out as he all but stomps from the room.

"I did this." Bella accuses, but Tanya smirks at her.

"No, I believe that I did this." Tanya corrects her.

Bella sighs and gives her the smallest of glares. "You know what I mean."

"I do," Tanya relents. "but there are a lot of reasons of why this is necessary and I'd rather not talk about it here. Come over tonight?"

Bella sighs and runs her hand through her hair. "I can't, Charlie wants to have a family dinner night, just the two of us." Bella gives her a sorry smile, but Tanya only smiles softly and understandingly at her.

"What about after that, we can go to my home, unless that's too late for you?" Tanya requests and Bella gets the feeling that her world is about to shift, but she refrains from commenting on it.

"Okay." Bella agrees and the brilliant smile Tanya gives her in return is enough for Bella to believe that everything is going to be alright...for now.

"You won't regret it." Tanya promises her as she to starts to pack up her things. "Want to help me carry out my things?" She produces to boxes from underneath her desk and starts filling them with all sorts of papers and knickknacks she's kept on her desk.

Bella smiles. "Sure." When everything is packed away Tanya gives her the lightest box and carries the other. She still manages to open every door for Bella on their way out of the building, and Bella ignores the way her friends stare at her as she makes her way to Tanya's car. They place the boxes into the trunk and Tanya gives her another soft smile when she closes the trunk.

"Tonight?" They're lingering and Bella knows that it must look a little bit suspicious...but Tanya isn't her teacher anymore, so that's something, isn't it?

Bella grins down at her shoes and then at Tanya. "Yeah." She grips the strap of her backpack, oddly feeling the need to hug Tanya but she restrains herself. Tanya looks at her as though she knows exactly what Bella is thinking, but that's just impossible. "I'll see you tonight."

"You have my number?" Bella rolls her eyes, because they both know that she does.

Bella laughs. "Of course I do."

"So you'll text me, or call, when you're ready?" Now Tanya is just teasing her, and Bella thinks, she's stalling.

"Yes. Yes." Bella shakes her head at Tanya's antics. "Now go, before people get the wrong idea."

Tanya smirks at Bella. "Let them think whatever they want because that wrong idea might just be right." She winks at Bella's blushing, dumbfounded face and gets into her car. Bella is still standing there as she drives off. After a moment she comes back to reality and starts over toward her truck...and her friends.

"So Bella…" Jessica starts. "What were you and Ms. Denali talking about."

Bella shrugs and tries to appear as nonchalant as she can as she throws her backpack into the cab of her truck. "Nothing really, I'm friends with her younger sister, Kate and she was just telling me that Kate found my my missing book." It's crazy how easy the lie slips from her lips and it's a little concerning how her friends are so quick to believe her. "Well I gotta go, my dad has this idea that he can cook dinner and I really don't want him to burn down the house." It's another lie, but again they believe her and for a moment Bella is worried that she's accidently compelled them, but no, that can't be right so she moves on.

They says their goodbyes and before Bella knows what's going on, she's already home, her head still in a daze from her conversation with Tanya and the conversation that they've yet to have. She wonders, what exactly has she gotten herself into?


	6. Chapter 6

**This Is Where It Gets Complicated**

 **AN: A little bit of a wait but here it is!**

* * *

"So, this Kate is Tanya's sister then? How old is she?" Charlie asks as he sets down his cup of milk, which Bella thinks is weird that he'd have milk with dinner but to each there one.

Bella nod, leaning on the table with her elbows. "She's twenty. I think you'd like her actually. She teases me more than you do." Bella smiles as Charlie gives a deep belly laugh.

He sobers quickly enough though a grin stays on his face. "So how old is Tanya?" Bella can hear the trepidation low in his voice.

"She's not that much older than me, only twenty-three and their other sister, Irina, is twenty-one. They're really great people, dad, even if Edward is their cousin." This little tidbit was what spark Charlie's interest in the people Bella had spent her time with lately. "The first time I went over there Kate kept zapping me, you know how you rub your feet of the carpet?" Charlie nods, of course he didn't need to know that Kate was doing it all on her own with her power, but she figures that's for the best. "The most annoying thing, but it was nice in a way, almost like I was already part of their, her life."

"What about the other two, what were their names?" He inquires as he pushes his plate away, having finishes his meal.

"Eleazar and Carmen, they're Tanya's Uncle and Aunt. I guess their mother died when they were younger." Bella shrugs. "They really don't talk about that much, but I guess I can understand why."

"Well I got to be honest with you Bella, I'm still not sold on the idea of you spending so much time at your teacher's home." Charlie's mouth sets firm on his face.

"Actually, "Bella starts as she puts her plate on top of Charlie's, "today was her last day."

Charlie's eyebrows shoot up to his hairline. "Well...and you met before you started school?" He checks his facts, Bella nods, not wanting to confirm the lie out loud. "Okay then, you're eighteen so you can date who you want, but I'm keeping an eye on her, understand?"

Bella's jaw hits the floor and her eyes grow as wide as they can go. "W-What!" She sputters; her dad actually laughs at her. "We're not, there's no dating going on! We're just friends." Bella protests.

Charlie stands from the table, grabbing the plates to do the dishes, Bella did cook after all. "Okay, Bells, whatever you say."

"I do say! We're not dating!" She shouts at his back as he walks away from her. "There's no dating going on." She grumbles to herself, ignoring the low chuckle she hears over the sink turning on. "I'm going upstairs!" She tells him, already moving toward the stairs.

"Going to call your girlfriend?" He shouts back at her.

Bella gives a loud groan. "She's not my girlfriend! You're the worst father ever!" She literally stomps up the stairs, because of course she doesn't have a girlfriend, she has friends that are girls and that's the end of it.

* * *

Bella actually waits for hours, refusing to call Tanya like her father so suggested and yeah, it might come off as childish but damn it she doesn't have a girlfriend. There's absolutely no need for her to contact Tanya immediately, Charlie hadn't fallen asleep anyways. So she waits as eight ticks by into nine, and then nine as it turns into ten, that's when she hears Charlie shuffling down the hall to his room, obviously trying to be quiet as he curses the squeak of a loose floorboard. Bella laughs softly to herself from the confines of her room.

She waits another fifteen minutes before picking up her phone and typing out a text to Tanya's phone, then she waits another ten before hitting send. It seems though, Tanya has no reservation of texting Bella because her reply is instantaneous. Bella has her park down the street, though she knows her father is a heavy sleeper, she rather not chance it.

So Bella creeps down the hall and then the stairs until she's safely outside, only pausing long enough to lock the door. It's fucking cold outside and Bella gets the feeling, as she makes her way to Tanya's running car, that it'll be a long night and of course Bella has school in the morning, it'll be a long day tomorrow for an unrested Bella. However, she knows that whatever this talk is about it's important to Tanya and by extension, it must be important to Bella as well, why else would Tanya want to talk about it with Bella?

Bella can see her breath in the light of Tanya's headlights as she rounds the car to the passenger side. She slides in easily and sighs at the warmth she's met with. She rubs her hands together and puts them in front of the air vent. Tanya frowns and Bella can see it out of the corner of her eye. "I'm sorry." This time Bella frowns as she looks at a crestfallen Tanya. It's almost as though Tanya thinks it's the worst thing in the world that she has Bella out in the cold.

"It's fine. See," Bella wiggles her fingers and sits back into the seat, "no frostbite." She jokes with a warm smile. Tanya gives Bella that look, the look that Bella can never decipher or maybe she's stubbornly, purposefully not trying to decipher it. "So where are we going?" Bella inquires as she tries to change the subject.

Tanya gives off a small smile and focuses on the road ahead when she pulls the car forward. "I was thinking we could just drive around until we find a suitable place to park? I have blankets and a thermos full of coffee to keep you warm, it's in the seat behind me."

Bella watches Tanya. She sees the tightening grip on the steering wheel. She sees the hard set lips on Tanya's beautiful face and the squinting of golden eyes. Bella doesn't keep Tanya waiting for an answer long. "That sounds fine, Tanya." Bella's nerves are set at ease by the grin Tanya gives her in return.

* * *

They end up parking down a dirty and slightly icy road that has them surrounded by the woods of the Denali forest. Tanya turns the car off and quickly reaches back to ply Bella with a heap of blankets and a cup of coffee. "If it gets too cold tell me and I'll turn the car back on okay?" Tanya tells her.

Bella laughs from her nest of blankets, surrounded by the smell of Tanya and coffee. "Okay." she takes a sip from her warm mug. "So what's this thing you have to tell me?"

Tanya rests her eyes on Bella for a long moment before taking a quarter from her cup holder. Without a word, as Bella watches on with a frown, Tanya slowly bends the quarter in half and then bends that in half once more. Bella's eyes are wide with shock, her mouth open in a gape as she stares between Tanya's fingers and eyes. "I'm a vampire."

"Okay." Bella croaks out.

Tanya raises a disbelieving eyebrow. "Okay? That's all you have to say?"

Bella's eyes stay wide as she collapses back into her seat, eyes on the darkness in front of her. "What the hell am I supposed to say, Tanya? What the hell am I supposed to say? Can you tell me that please, because right now I can't think of anything else, so please, tell me how I'm supposed to react right now?" So maybe Bella can say more than just 'okay'. "Either you're fucking crazy or I am because right now I can't tell. Vampires? What the fuck is this? Jesus fucking Christ!" Bella puts her head between her hands as she starts to panic, her breath coming in shallow and quick. Tanya reaches out to her but before her hand can touch Bella's shoulder, Bella flinches away. "Don't fucking touch me! Take me home, you need to take me home. Right now."

"Bella…" Tanya pleads and it breaks Bella's heart just a little but she's too caught up in a whirlwind of turbulent emotions that she really can't bring herself to care about someone else emotions right now.

"Take me home." Bella whispers as she somewhat violently throws the blankets into the backseat and opening the door to throw out the thermos of coffee. "Now." Tanya doesn't try to reach out to her again, choosing instead to silently start her car and start the drive back to Bella's house.

She has Tanya park down the street again and after much arguing she finally agrees to Bella's request. Bella practically runs home.

* * *

Charlie finds Bella hovering over the coffee pot when he comes down dressed and ready for the work day. "What are you doing up?"

Bella manages a weak smile over the rim of her coffee cup. "Couldn't sleep." What she doesn't tell him is that she never went to bed and this is the second pot she's brewed.

By the way Charlie squints at her and folds his arms, Bella can see that he doesn't by her bullshit. "Did you and Tanya get into a fight last night?"

"What!" She squeaks and she knows that's an answer in itself.

Charlie gives her an unimpressed look. "Do you really think that I didn't hear you sneak out last night?" He points to the badge on his chest. "Cop remember, but never mind about that, what's going on with you and Tanya?"

Bella heaves a big sigh and set her cup down on the counter. She's already jittery enough from all the caffeine. "We did fight, kind of."

When she doesn't elaborate Charlie steps in. "You don't have to tell your old man what it was about, but let me give you a piece of advice. Is it something that can be fixed?" Bella takes a moment to think about it but then she shrugs because she really has no fucking clue. "Okay," Charlie chuckles, "is it something that you want to fix?"

Bella looks down to the floor. Does she want to fix this? Is it something that she can accept? How the hell is she supposed to be okay with a vampire? Then Bella remembers that this isn't just any vampire, this is Tanya. "Yeah dad, it is." She looks up to her father, confused and desperate. "I don't know what to do."

Charlie sighs and runs a hand through his short hair. "Talk to her kiddo."

"That easy?" Bella's skeptical, but maybe it is that simple.

"Yep." He grins. "Now, I got to go to work, see you after school." Charlie fills up his thermos and leaves her there in the kitchen to her thoughts. By the time Bella releases herself from her thoughts she realizes that she missed first period, so she has two choices; either she can go to school late and deal with everyone, which she doesn't want to do, or she can just take the day off, it is friday afterall. Decision made, she's not going to school, not today.

For the most part of the morning Bella busies herself with cleaning the house. After she's done she realizes that only an hour has past by. With a defeated huff Bella falls back onto the couch, one arm draped over her eyes in a moment of pure exhaustion that quickly turns back into confusion. Before she can get too caught up in her turbulent thoughts her cell phone rings from the back pocket of her jeans. 'Kate' flashes across the screen the chorus of 'kung fu fighting' blaring from the phone's speaker. Bella rolls her eyes, but a small smile sneaks onto her lips at the ridiculousness of Kate's actions. After a moment of hesitation, Bella picks it up. "What do you want Kate?" she asks not unkindly.

"I want you to come to the door." Kate promptly says before hanging up on Bella. Bella frowns as she stands and makes her way to the door, upon opening it she's met with the smiling face of Kate. "Are you going to invite me in?"

Bella frowns and crosses her arms in front of her chest. "What, you need permission to enter or something else related to your vampireness?" Bella shoots back and surprisingly Kate frowns instead of firing back at Bella with a sarcastic comment.

"No, I don't need permission to enter, technically, but it's rude not to ask." Kate offers.

Bella sighs tiredly. "What do you want Kate?" Bella asks again.

Kate shrugs, "I thought you'd be more willing to talk to me right now than Tanya." It's a whispered statement but the words carry the weight of the world. "You know, about everything she told you last night?"

Bella shakes her head but she doesn't know if it's because of the situation she's put herself in or maybe it's the position Tanya has put her into, nothing is different between the two except for who holds the blame. "I really don't want to talk about this." Bella admits freely.

Bella steps back into her doorway, ready to shut the door on Kate but the woman puts her hand up and stops it. "Bella, please?" She can't budge the door closed so Bella gives up and opens the door fully once more. Bella gestures for Kate to come in and follows her into the kitchen, sitting at the table. Kate takes the seat across from her. "Tanya-"

"No." Bella stops Kate in her tracks. "You want to talk about your big secret then fine, but I'm not about to sit here and talk about your sister, if she even is your sister."

Kate smiles. "She is my sister and so is Irina in the sense that we were changed by the same woman, Tanya's Aunt actually." If Bella wasn't already sitting down she's sure she would have fallen. "Tanya is the leader of our coven, including Eleazar and Carmen. Carlisle is the leader of the Cullen coven though, but you're right, we're not here to talk about Tanya, at least not directly. Here's the thing Bella, all vampires answer to one coven, the largest one. The Volturi are our leaders and we all must answer to them and their strongest law, not revealing ourselves to the humans."

"Tanya did that." Bella cuts in.

"She did." Kate states gravely. "However there are two exceptions to the rule, if you're going to kill that human or change them."

Bella turns an unhealthy shade of white as she takes in Kate's words. "You're going to kill me? What kind of shit is that!"

Kate laughs at her, she actually has the nerve to laugh at Bella right now. "No, Bella."

"Then you're going to change me? Like that's any better than killing me?" Bella argues, her heartbeat spiking and world tunneling so all she can see is Kate.

"Bella, just let me explain, please." That shuts Bella up and she waits for Kate to finish. "There's a reason Tanya told you, despite all the things that can go wrong, despite the punishment she might suffer...she couldn't lie to you Bella. You see, when you're a vampire as old as Tanya, well she's only a little bit older than Irina and me, but the thing is when you've lived a hundred lifetimes there is only one thing that keeps you going...our mate."

"What like a soulmate?" Bella asks.

Kate nods. "Yes, a soulmate. Every vampire has one and when we find our mate they become our whole world, Bella, they're the single most important thing to us. Some vampires find their mates in other vampires, they're the lucky ones, like Eleazar and Carmen or Alice and Jasper. Other vampires though don't have it so lucky and they find their mates in humans like Carlisle and Esme and Rosalie and Emmett."

"So when your mate is a human, you change them? Does the human even have a choice?" Bella pushes closer to the table.

"We would never force our mate to do anything, not even changing, because the human can feel a pull to the vampire, even if it is a fraction of what a vampire feels at least at the beginning, but in the end both human and vampire make the decision to change. Unless Edward is you're mate, he has some god complex and thinks we're all soulless monsters and when he does find his mate , if they're human, he'll probably never change her which is taking the choice out of his mate's hands." Kate rolls her eyes.

Bella scoffs. "Tanya is not soulless and she's not a monster either, none of your family is." She defends and it's enough for Kate to give her a teasing smile.

"He thinks you're his mate by the way, even if we all keep telling him that he's wrong." Kate teases.

"Bullshit! Is that why he's so stalkerish? I really can't stand him...should I worry about that? I don't think I can defend myself against a vampire, can I?" Bella suddenly gets nervous.

Kate shakes her head in response. "No, you can't. We're stronger, faster than humans and the only way to kill a vampire is to tear them apart and burn the pieces, if you don't burn them they can piece themselves back together. It's hard to kill something that's already dead." Kate jokes. "You don't have to worry about that though, we can handle Edward, he's young and has a lot to learn."

Bella doesn't respond. She lets a silence engulf them as Kate waits for her to start talking once more. "So what does any of this have to do with me? Why did Tanya tell me if she's not going to kill me?"

"Really Bella?" Kate scoffs and it leads into a deep laugh. "Why do you think?"

Bella thinks about it long and hard, going over every little bit of information Kate had given her. "Oh...oh shit."


	7. Chapter 7

**Inquiring Minds**

 **AN: Surprise!**

* * *

"I need to talk with Tanya." Bella says with a firm nod, already getting up from the table and grabbing her jacket from the coatrack. She looks to Kate who is still sitting at the table with a grin on her face. "Now would be nice Kate."

"Oh look at you, Miss Demanding." Kate jests as she takes her time standing from the table and joining Bella by the now open door.

"Sometime this century would be nice Kate." Bella growls out as Kate literally drags her feet as she passes Bella. Bella gets the urge to hit her, but after everything Kate has explained to her she wisely chooses not to. They load into Kate's insanely expensive car and Bella has barely a second to put on her seatbelt before Kate's taking off through the streets.

The drive to Tanya's house has never been a short one but right now Bella feels as though time barely passed before they're pulling into the drive. Tanya is waiting on the porch as Bella exits the car and makes her way toward the house. Kate follows close behind. "Hey." Bella breathes out under her breath.

"Hey." Tanya responds in return. They stare at one another, Bella looks for any change in Tanya's eyes but there's none and still she stares.

"What the fuck Kate!" Bella screams as Kate zaps her ass but Kate's gone before Bella can turn around. "You're a pain in the ass! Literally!" Balle calls into the house, looking over Tanya's shoulder. Tanya's soft giggle makes Bella return her focus back to the coven leader. "We need to talk." Bella says simply.

Tanya sobers immediately, her shoulders straightening and posture turning a bit rigid. "Come in, Bella." She allows Bella to enter first and when she reaches for Bella's jacket Bella automatically takes it off so she can hang it up. Bella heads toward the living room by routine.

"Are we alone?" Bella inquires as she sees the empty room.

"Yes." Tanya confirms as she sits on the loveseat, Bella sits on the couch, leaving the coffee table in between them. "I sent them away."

Bella frowns and then rolls her eyes. "Another vampire trick I'm sure, enhanced senses?" Bella guesses. Tanya merely nods in return and as Bella takes her in, she's surprised to see Tanya looking nervous. She's never really seen Tanya act anything less than confident. "So...you're a vampire." Bella breaks the small silence.

Tanya's rigid posture breaks enough for a small smile to grace her lips. "I am."

"Tell me about that." Bella requests. This is how it starts. Tanya all too willingly starts in on her story and Bella sits there memorized by the whole thing and firing her questions one after another. She asks about Tanya's life before being a vampire and learns just how old Tanya really is. Bella wonders at all Tanya has seen as the centuries went by. She asks about the way a human gets turned and what that means and Bella flinches back at the description of the fire Tanya had to endure. Tanya tells her about the things she's done, the people she's killed and how the Cullens first came into their life and how Carlisle taught them how to feed from animals.

Tanya tells Bella about her mother and what the Volturi did. Bella comes to understand the gravity of the need to follow the Volturi's law and how much risk Tanya took in revealing her secret. Bella starts to gain even more respect and quite a bit more understanding on just who Tanya is, which leads to the biggest issue. "Kate told you about mates?"

Bella sighs, "Not really. She only said that Edward thinks I'm his mate and then she inferred that you believe the same." She answers honestly. "Why do you think so?" She doesn't ask about Edward because honestly he doesn't matter, he means nothing to Bella.

"You have to understand that when a vampire sees their mate for the first time the feelings are instant, it's a true case of love at first sight." Bella swallows hard at the word 'love'. "When your mate is a human though, the human doesn't come to love as instantaneous. They will love the vampire just as fiercely and true but it takes longer for the human to truly recognize the mating bond. Mates complete and compliment each other. Most vampires wait centuries before finding their mate, I know I have." Tanya gives Bella a secret sort of smile like she's said a joke, but Bella isn't positive that she wants to know the punchline.

"Eventually I'll have to be changed...or killed." Bella changes the subject and with it she changes the atmosphere.

Tanya lets out a hiss that makes Bella's eyes grow wide. "I will not allow anyone to hurt you let alone kill you."

For a moment Bella sees Tanya's eyes grow dark and then Tanya takes a deep breath, her eyes closed, and their back to those beautiful golden hues. "I believe you." The simple statement is enough for Tanya to grin brightly and Bella is stunned for a few long seconds. When she comes back to her sense she does so with a heavy sigh. "I can't be your mate, Tanya." That grin is wiped away in an instant. "I can be your friend though."

Tanya doesn't speak right away choosing instead to bore into Bella's eyes, looking for something, but what? "Fine, I accept...for now." Tanya smirks at Bella and it makes Bella feel like prey. "I will make you fall for me, Bella. It's inevitable."

Bella rolls her eyes and laughs with a shake of her head. "Are all vampires this cocky?" Bella quirks her eyebrow up.

"When it comes down to your feelings for me Bella, I will always be this _confident._ " Tanya rebuttals as she stands.

Bella watches her move before making eye contact and she smirks at Tanya. "Cocky." Tanya merely laughs.

* * *

So what does one do when they find out that the world isn't as they thought it to be? For Bella, the answer is simple, keep calm and carry on. Cliche but effective. Bella's trying not the question the little things that are changing in her life lest they become bigger things by putting too much thought into them. Little things like Tanya wrapping a scarf around Bella's neck because Bella still forgets just how cold nights are in Alaska or how there's always a warm cup of coffee waiting for her any time she shows up to the Denali house, no matter the time, because Tanya knows Bella prefers coffee over tea. Tanya always grabs a hold to Bella when they step over an icy patch because Bella's to caught up in the conversation to notice and like a fool, Bella blushes every time.

The roses however, cannot be ignored. Bella finds them in the strangest of places, in one of her shoes, at the bottom of her coffee cup when she pulls in out of her cupboard, in the glovebox of her truck, her backpack and even taped to the outside of her locker. Her friends find it hard to ignore it as well and they aren't content with Bella's pretend aloofness about the mysterious roses.

"I think it's Edward Cullen." Jessica states as they all sit around the lunch table. Bella rolls her eyes and laughs, because no, it's not Edward Cullen.

"No." Bella easily denies.

Angela smiles, "If you're so sure it's not Edward, then you must know who they're from, Bella."

Bella blushes and looks away. "Oh my god! You do know!" Jessica starts and pushes Bella's shoulder a bit. "Come on, Bella, just tell us already! Please!"

"I…" Bella pauses. It's not like she can't tell them, Tanya has been more than obvious about her attentions even her usually clueless father knows they come from Tanya, and he has way too much fun teasing Bella about it. Angela and Jessica lean in close while Mike sits with a pout on his face, Eric and Tyler are more interested in some new comic Eric brought to school. Bella chews on her bottom lip and fiddles with her bottle of water.

"Oh. My. God." Jessica's eyes are wide as she stares over Bella's shoulder.

"What?" Bella asks, turning around to see a delivery man with yet another rose, this time Bella can see a small piece of paper attached to the stem.

"Isabella Swan?" He asks as he reaches Bella.

"Y-yeah." He hands her the rose and takes off as quick as he appeared. Bella blushes as she feels the attention of the entire cafeteria on her. It's not everyday that someone gets a flower delivery at school.

"Read the note, read the note!" Jessica squeals.

Bella does and if she thought she was blushing before, it's nothing compared to the shade of red that now covers her face.

' _I've waited a lifetime,_

 _And I'll wait a thousand more,_

 _If it means in the end,_

 _You'll be mine._

 _Eternally yours,_

 _-Tanya.'_

"Bella, you have to tell us now! Come on, best friends don't keep secrets from each other." Jessica points out. Bella snorts, because there's plenty of secrets she's keeping from her friends.

"Tanya." Bella states as she gives in to Jessica's demands. She looks up as she tucks the note into her back pocket. The table looks stunned, even Eric and Tyler.

"Ms. Denali?" Mike says dumbly. "That's illegal."

Bella glares at him. "Actually, it's not. She's not a teacher here anymore, besides I knew her before I started school here." The lie slips out easily, it's the same one she told her father.

"You're dating Ms. Denali?" Jessica asks with wonder in her voice.

Bella blushes again, damn she needs to get a handle on that. "No." She denies firmly.

"But she wants to." Jessica grins. "If I was being spoiled with roses I don't think I'd be able to say no to someone as hot as her." She sits back in her chair and Bella lets out a loaded breath. So far so good, thankfully.

Mike's head snaps to Jessica. "You like girls too?" His voice cracks.

Jessica glares at him. "No, Mike but if one treated me like Tanya obviously treats Bella, well, then I'd definitely entertain the thought, especially when the boys around here are clueless idiots who can't take a hint." Mike doesn't have anything to say about that, he justs sits there with his mouth hanging open like a fly trap. "Anyway, Angella can I take a look at your Biology homework? I had trouble on the last question." Bella sighs as the subject is dropped and not for the first time, she's thankful for finding a good friend in Jessica and Angela.

* * *

"This is getting ridiculous, Tanya." Bella ties to sound mad but the grin on her face gives her away.

Tanya smirks. "I'm sorry my dear, but it just cannot be helped. How am I supposed to deny myself the pleasure of spoiling you when it results in such pretty smiles and blushes?" She purrs as Bella passes her and enters the house. Like always, Tanya takes her coat and Bella turns to face her as Tanya hangs it up on the coat rack.

"I'm sure the whole town knows by now." Bella points out.

"Good, then they know you're taken." Tanya sounds way too pleased at this.

Bella raises an eyebrow in defiance and crosses her arms. "Is that what you think? That I'm taken?" Bella steps into Tanya's personal space and she watches as Tanya's eyes darken. "I guess I missed that part."

Tanya licks her lips and Bella's only distracted for a minute, okay, maybe two minutes. When those lips quirk in a small smirk, Bella's eyes return to Tanya's now bright gold eyes. "Like I said, Bella...it's inevitable."

"You're so cocky for someone who hasn't even asked me out on a date." Bella fires at her.

Tanya takes a step forward, Bella steps back. Tanya continues to advance until Bella's pinned to the door, she doesn't even know when they switched places. Stupid, sneaky vampire. "Is that what you want, Bella?" Tanya whispers into the small space between them. "You want me to ask you on a date? You want me to plead, because I can. I can plead and beg, on bended knee, until you say yes to me. I'll go to any height to make you mine, tell me Bella, tell me what you want and I'll make it happen. I'll give you anything, no, I'll give you everything...all you have to do is say yes." Tanya's hands are on either side of Bella's face, her body is an inch within Bella, not close enough to touch, but a tease nonetheless. "Go on a date with me, Bella."

Bella stares into those eyes that always seem to effortlessly and she knows that her resistance to Tanya's charms have finally failed her. "Yes."


	8. Chapter 8

**The End**

 **AN: I know it's been awhile, but I have not abandoned this story, nor will I. No matter how long it takes I will finish what I started.**

* * *

Bella nervously fixes her thermal, wiping away invisible wrinkles and inspecting her appearance with a critical eye. Tanya had said to dress warmly, comfortably, and she would be once she put on her overcoats, beanie and gloves maybe even a scarf as well, Bella knew how intolerant she was to the cold, Tanya's body felt absolutely warm compared to the cold of Denali nights, not that she's felt Tanya's body.

There's a knock on the door and with one last breath Bella makes her way to the door as she checks her phone; Tanya's early. She opens the door still checking her phone, "Someone is eager." She laughs as she looks up expecting that dazzling smile only to be met with the wrong vampire. "What are you-" Her sentence is cut short as a cloth is forced over her nose and mouth. She struggles but it's no use as she quickly starts to lose consciousness. The last thing she sees are dangerous golden eyes.

* * *

She smelled devine. The perfume of her blood like a siren's song whispering dangerous things in his ears. Even in her unconscious state, handcuffed to a brass frame of a dust covered mattress, she was beautiful. _'Angelic.'_ Something sinister whispers as his golden gaze starts to blacken with the inspection of such perfection. Everything she is, and everything he'd make her become, her whole being belonged to him now. A crooked smirk breaks across his lips, perfect teeth glimmering in the candle light of the room.

No one would find them here, a state away in a house they hadn't used for over a century. His plan was just so perfect and even if they did find him out, none of them would make it in time to save their _precious Bella_. His sick smirk twisted with elation as he thought of leaving his mark on her. She'd be his forever, marked by him. He scoffs into the silent room. The little bitch should feel lucky, out of all the pretty shining girls in the world and he picked her. Yes, she'd break under him and after everything was said and done, he'd have the perfect, obedient mate; and the power!

He stands in the corner of the room as Bella's scent quickly takes over every dusty inch. The aroma so pungent that it makes him lick his lips and his fingers twitch at the need to touch, to take. "Oh my Isabella…" He whispers out. A small moan falls from her lips and he pauses briefly to be sure she's still out, can't have her ruining all his fun with those pesky powers of hers. From his back pocket he brings out a scarf, a treasure that he had stolen from her bedroom on the night he'd first laid eyes on her. Edward laughs, no one even noticed that he'd even been there. This was just too easy!

Slowly he ties the material over her eyes, savoring the silky touch of her hair against his skin, and unable to stop himself, he reaches out to grasp her head in his hands. He grins as her heart speeds up, oh she's waking up! She struggles against his hold, against her confinments, but he knows she'll only get bruises for her efforts. The thought of her pale skin littered with the blacks and blues of bruises only made him grip her face hard earning an angry hiss for his efforts.

"Get the fuck off me!" She yells to an empty room. He laughs, there's no one around to hear her screams. He was to be the only witness to his masterpiece being born.

"Tsk. Tsk. Tsk." He grins down at her. "No one can hear you, my love." He laughs gleefully as she struggles even harder against him. Her legs shootout, trying to kick or push him away but he's too strong. Her hips buck off the bed, her hands jerk at the cuffs but her efforts are only rewarded with raw wrists and aching legs from kicking his diamond hard skin. She starts to scream and the sound is music to his ears. For a moment he screams back at her, their voices battling to be heard over the other and when she finally stops to cry, he laughs again. "You're mine now."

"No." She desperately cries with an already hoarse voice.

Forcibly, he smash his lips into her, uncaring of his roughness or the split in her lip because of it. He can feel her try to pry her face from his grip, but he's steel against her satin. When he deems it to be enough he roughly pushes off her, the blood on his lips calling out his beast as he takes his first taste of her. He moans into the room, the sound overpowering her soft cries from the bed. "You my dear, are just devine." He hisses with black eyes. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I must hunt less we want all our fun to be over far too quickly." He chuckles at her heartbroken sob and speeds away. The haunting echo of his sadistic laugh was the only thing to keep her company now.

* * *

 _Earlier with Tanya_

A giddy Tanya stands in the middle of her foyer as puts on the lightweight, white winter jacket with the black faux fur lined hood. She was over the moon for the possibilities of the day. She finally had her date with Bella, her _mate_. This feeling of overwhelming joy and happiness was something that she'd never felt in her one thousand plus years she'd walked this world. "So what are you more excited about...he sex, or the sex?" Kate's voice singing from her place behind Tanya on the bottom step.

"Really, must you be so childish!" Tanya scolds, though there's a smirk on her face when she turns to look at her sister in all but blood. "But to answer you question...the sex." Tanya winks as she receives a wolf whistle in return for going along with Kate's game. "Did you and Irina get everything set up?"

Kate rolls her eyes to the ceiling as she answers. "Well seeing as Irina's a fucking perfectionist, yes we got it done...five separate times! I mean seriously, how many different ways do you need to hang a couple strands of light on trees and why does it matter what side of the blanket the picnic basket is on? I really don't think Bella's gonna refuse eating just because the basket is on her right and not the left." By the end of her rant there's a clear annoyance in Kate's tone, but Tanya can see that happy spark in her sister's eyes, even if there was a slight jealous edge to Kate's words, Tanya knew without a doubt just how happy Kate is for her finding her mate, and that meant everything to Tanya. She loved the fact that her Coven, her family, were just as excited as she herself was that she had finally found Bella...and all thanks to that future seeing cousin of hers. Tanya makes a mental note to do something nice for Alice in the near future, like take her shopping to show thanks in bring her and her mate together.

"Offer accepted!" Sung Alice as she appeared from the kitchen, obviously having used the kitchen door to enter the house and not the from or back like the other were always using.

Tanya smiles at the pixie vampire. "Well then it'd be my pleasure Alice." Alice giggled before her face suddenly went slack, body frozen still, not even her chest moved with unneeded breath. Her eyes though were focused and following a scene only she could see.

Dull expressions slowly morphed into one of anguish and devastation. As she slowly came to, wide eyes looked to Tanya in horror. "Bella's gone." She whispered and had it not been for her super sensitive hearing, Tanya was sure she would never heard a word Alice had said, but she did hear them.

Tanya's frozen heart squeezed painfully in her chest as her worst fears began swimming in her head. She would lose her mate before ever really having her. This was cosmic justice, or cruel karma. "What do you mean 'Bella's gone'?" She envied the stone cold evenness of her voice, it felt too calm for the undying agony she was feeling within, like the venom's fire all over again.

Alice's eyes close tightly for just a second, she takes a steadying breath before looking at Tanya again, her golden eyes now jet black with sorrow. "She's...just...gone." Alice struggled for her words, sending a chill down Tanya's spine. "Bella's gone."

No one was prepared for the gut wrenching sob that tore its way from Tanya's throat as she speed from the house on foot, desperate to get to Bella's house. _'She's wrong. Alice has to be wrong.'_ She could only pray that by some miracle Alice really was wrong.

* * *

"Please! Stop!" She begged as his nail drew another thin line of blood from midriff, crying out even more as he bent and liked them closed, his venom searring into her brain with the promise of fire but not of the change.

"But you taste _so_ good, my Bella." He laughed gleefully, drunk off the scent of her fear mixing in with the taste of her decadent blood. He should have done this from the start, when he had first seen her in Alice's visions. He could have saved himself the frustration and headache. If he had had her earlier then she would only know him and not the filthy scum of a woman. He growled out harshly against Bella's skin making her jump as though she feared a real bite, one that she wouldn't wake up from. Edward chuckled as he finally released her from his hold, a trickle of blood spilling from his lips as her grinned down at her blinded form.

Her small wrists were beyond bruised and the cuffs had cut into the skin from all her struggling, but he didn't mind it just made the room smell more like her, like her blood. He had ripped her shirt in have too get it off of her without undoing the handcuffs and it showed off his work brilliantly. Razor thin lines and bite marks now littered her stomach and cleavage, the scars already paler than the rest of her skin, colder to the touch and diamond hard. A similar scene played itself out on her back, forever marked by his bite. He liked letting his venom into her veins before sucking out at the last possible minute, her screams were delish and only made him want her all the more.

Edward watches her bra covered chest heave with her heavy sobs and it makes him more excited, lustful. His gaze drops down to the button of her jeans, oh how easy it would be, he grins. Two days alone with Bella had truly tested his resolve, and patients. Two days of tasting her, touching her and he had yet to fully claim her. Edward smiled to himself, yes it was hard to wait for his Bella to be ready for him, but he thinks after a few more days she won't even blink an eye as he undoes her. No, when he finally took Bella as his own, she would not fight him, not at all, either she'd learn he was the master and could do whatever he damn well pleased or she'd be dead, or close to it.

It really didn't matter to Edward one way or another, he would have her blood and then have her, or he would have her and then her blood, either way Bella would be his and only his, in life as well as death. Blazing red eyes watched as she tried again to free herself and wiggle out of the scarf, she wouldn't of course, but her struggle was just so beautiful, tragic but so damn pretty. How helpless she was without her precious gifted, the one the defied him, that's how he new she was to be his. The fact that he couldn't read her mind meant something, just as how they both had mental powers, they were perfect, they complimented each other.

Of course her fowl mouth would have to go, and her insistent need to disobey him at every turn, but he had ways of dealing with her insubordination. He had a mind full of ideas and all the time in the world. No one would find them in Forks, it was too obvious which made it perfect. This is the place where he was supposed to meet his mate, far away from the Denali bitch. If only Charlie hadn't accepted that job transfer then it would have been him Bella fell for.

He had seen the possibility in Alice's visions where they meet Bella here in Forks. They had gone on a date, he didn't get to see it played out, but he knew that in that version of the future she was his. Of course the vision after that, of the Denali's visiting and Bella falling under that succubi's spell, wasn't as please for him to remember. Even in that future Tanya snuck in to take what isn't hers. If he had met Bella here in Forks it would have been better, but her imbecile of a father!

Slowly another thought creeps into Edward's mind. He thought about Bella's father and the way Charlie has inconvenienced his plans. He could go back and teach the man a lesson in getting in the way. It would be so perfect to be the one and only thing that Bella had to hold onto. _'Get rid of the father, take care of the mother and then finally the false lover.'_ A voice whispered to him from deep within his mind. Edward grinned a sinister smile. He knew exactly what to do next and everyone in Denali would be in for a surprise.

He knew the perfect way of getting what he wanted without lifting a finger, someone else would do his dirty work for him. What better way did he have of destroying everything Bella held dear than letting her do so on her own. A newborn was exactly what he needed right now. The Sire's bite would be more than enough to control feeble minded Bella. He had done his research, he knew that a Sire could influence the bond through the bite. Of course he'd never done it before, but really there wasn't much that he couldn't do. Lately he had all but amazed himself with his clever, clever pans.

He chuckled lowly before lunging at the sobbing Bella. His teeth pierce the soft skin on one of her wrists and he drinks her in until her heart starts to slow. He'd make his newborn and set her back into her own home and watch her destroy her very life, and when poor Bella finally broke he could rebuild her again, in his image. It was brilliant!


End file.
